Communicating in the City

Starting the new year in tech style

I'm finally catching up with the times. I just purchased the new iPhone...plus Santa was quite good to me. I now have the iPad 2. So much fun. It's so compact - great for work and great for play. Can't wait to travel with it. What a neat toy for adults.

2012. Wow. This year went fast. I'm ready for a new year, though. Should be a good one - it's an Olympic year.

More travel is already in the cards - from Minnesota (will blog about that in a couple of weeks) to London (simply-summit 2012!). I may just hop back over to Italy while I'm at it...

So glad the holidays are almost over. How exhausting. If I eat or drink one more thing, I will burst. Need to de-tox. Next week. Definitely.

Here's to a fabulous new year!!

Take this month and shove it

Just had my 38th birthday this weekend. All I can say is big friggin deal. It's just another day - especially this time of year. It's nestled in between the Christmas holiday when people are already stressed about spending money and buying gifts for everyone.

Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful for my friends and family for all their gifts and good wishes. And sure, I have a lot to be thankful for. I just wish society didn't make such a fuss - birthdays, holidays - they're all about pressure. It's assumed you're going to have a great time. "It's your big day!" Blah, blah, blah.

Well, gee, I was sick on my birthday - on the friggin' couch most of the afternoon with a nasty head cold and a sore left foot. Happy birthday!

Birthday, holidays - they're all about obligation. Gotta buy this one a present, gotta buy that one dinner.

Gotta tip my super. For what? For the leak in the bathroom that he didn't fix properly?

Or how about when you repeatedly go above and beyond for a particular person and he barely makes an effort for your big day? A text message? Really? And you call yourself a gentleman?

Or how about this one - you go to your local restaurant one night, tell the host it's your birthday and he says, "Cheers," while pouring what you think is a complimentary glass of wine. And it shows up on the bill.

Or you go to your regular beauty salon where people are surly and barely grateful for the tips you've given them. And you've just been charged a lot for a plethora of services.

Bah humbug. Wake me when it's January 2nd.

 

A real snow job

Christmas weekend, New Yorkers were slammed with a last-minute blizzard that packed a punch on the 5 boroughs. Three days later, many side streets remain unplowed while cars remain buried in mounds of snow.

Unsurprisingly, Mayor Bloomberg has taken plenty of heat about the weak cleanup job. Is the Sanitation Department understaffed due to the holidays? Perhaps. Whatever the case, it's unacceptable. We live in New York City; not Oshkosh.

My street alone has seen several stuck cars, with elderly people afraid to leave their homes for fear of falling in the snow or on slippery pavements. Traffic (even to local destinations) has been a nightmare for motorists.

If there's a silver lining in all of this, it has to be how New Yorkers have joined together to help their neighbors as well as complete strangers. I've witnessed countless situations where good samaritans have assisted people with pushing their stuck cars or helping the elderly cross the street.

I, myself, was given a hand by a chivalrous guy who helped me navigate a huge mound of snow on Monday. And yesterday, one of my neighbors whom I barely know, came up to my apartment to help me fix a broken appliance.

The snowstorm has also allowed for the opportunity to bond with others. One of my neighbors had me over for tea the other day - something that probably would never have happened if we weren't snowbound.

Fortunately for everyone, rising temperatures are on the way which means a big meltdown. The blizzard will soon be a thing of the past, but one thing is for sure, it won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Is it Christmas already?

What a busy month - had some productive meetings in London (while taking in some lovely holiday decorations of course - see Carnaby Street at right), produced a successful live video webinar from 3 different locations (along with my crack simply staff), and of course, put together another strong edition of simply-communicate and our weekly simply-news feeds.

2011 looks to be quite exciting as simply continues to take off in the States; I'm also working on several standout internal communication case studies at big-name companies.

But until then, it's all about the holidays. Time to wrap some more presents, take in the lovely lights that dazzle my neighborhood and catch up with friends and loved ones. 

Wishing all communicators a simply fabulous Christmas and a happy, prosperous new year!

 

O' Little Town of Bethlehem

Was in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania over the weekend - aka "Christmas City". Its charm and festive holiday feel did not disappoint, nor did the Amaretto at the historic Bethlehem Hotel, its lobby adorned in all its Christmas glory.

While you couldn't help but get into the holiday spirit, one thing that particularly stood out to me was how refreshingly nice everyone was. What a lovely change of pace it was being in Main Street, USA where people smiled and stopped to chat. Congenial waitresses actually worked for tips, unlike many indifferent servers you encounter while dining out in New York. No struggling actors here, just young people grateful for tips equalling 15% or more. The heartfelt thanks I received from one waitress who couldn't believe I didn't need change from the amount of money I left was especially nice to see. Guess Pennsylvanians aren't big tippers.

What they are, are a festive bunch - made apparent by all the reindeer sweaters and Santa hats I encountered. At one point, I actually felt left out that I wasn't wearing red. 

Sure, all that might sound hokey to some jaded New Yorkers, but this New Yorker found it to be kind of charming. So was the caroling at Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt.

So many of us get caught up in the hectic pace of the holidays - the rush to finish up all our work before the Christmas break, the mad dash to bake our fruitcakes and get all our shopping done; not to mention fitting in all the holiday parties and visits to the relatives.

But for a couple of days in the former steel town of Bethlehem, it was just nice to stop and appreciate the true spirit of the holidays.

Oh, and of course, my birthday as well!

Christmas from Brooklyn to Florida

Here's a new favorite of mine - a climbing Santa Claus set to Xmas music, holiday decorations courtesy of my local diner. And the pancakes aren't bad either!
Meanwhile, check out these Christmas decorations in Florida. Who says you can't celebrate when it's 80 degrees outside? There was even snow! OK, so it was fake but that's alright - I encountered plenty of the real stuff when I returned from my vacation.



A palm tree with Christmas lights?? It's not the same as on an evergreen, but what the heck...

On the subject of my Florida holiday, it was the first proper vacation I've had all year. I got to relax by the pool, on the beach and catch up with some friends - old and new.  In spite of it all, I still had that itch to stay connected online. While I didn't bring a laptop on the trip (gasp!), I did have my good 'ol BlackBerry allowing me to access Facebook and my expanding email inbox.

Call it a sign of the times but I could not sit still without a little electronic action. I was so bad that my friends threatened to hide my BlackBerry charger and throw it in the pool.

I just couldn't get enough of my Facebook status updates. If I had a cocktail in a tiki bar, I had to alert all my friends and loved ones.
I even provided weather updates, hoping to make New Yorkers green with envy at the balmy temperatures.

Work emails were answered (yes all of them) but happily I wasn't the only one staying connected while on holiday - even my Publisher got into the act as we started to think about site content and event planning for the new year. We're simply incorrigible!

On that note, here's to a Happy Christmas and to good communication in 2009!

Christmas on Wheels

As many of my blog readers know, my Brooklyn neighborhood is no stranger to festive Xmas decorations. However, this one takes the cake! (or shall I say, fruitcake?).

Happy Holidays!

How to Cut Costs during the Holidays

With Christmas music playing on the radio and department store window displays already all aglow, it's hard to ignore the fact that the holidays are soon approaching.

Before thawing out that fruitcake, here are a few friendly tips on how to save a bit of cash at the holidays during these difficult economic times - at least during work hours.

1. Replace fancy gingerbread lattes with good old-fashioned regular coffee. Inexpensive coffee carts are the way to go (there are loads in Manhattan); you'll probably even be greeted with a smile. Or better yet, you can even brew a cup yourself at the office (gasp!).
2. Instead of dining out or indulging in pricey takeaways, try brown-bagging your lunch a couple of times a week. After Thanksgiving, there's sure to be a lot of turkey leftovers you can eat. Throw in a bag of crisps and you're all set.
3. Worried about the hefty cost of throwing a holiday party? To save money on venues, try having it in-house. Leave everything to the take-out menus and delivery guys. Flip on the radio, put up a "Season's Greetings" sign and you're good to go. It may not be posh but hey, it gets people away from their desks and they come away well-fed.
4. Dreading mailing out the annual Christmas cards? Why not opt for eCards instead? They're free (in most cases) and you'll even save money on stamps. Should you decide to go the electronic route, Hallmark eCards usually offer a nice array to choose from. And just think what a refreshing change of pace your cards will be from the usual email clutter that people receive.
5. Forego the Secret Santa this year. Chances are you usually don't like the person whose name you wind up picking anyway. 

New York City Goes Green

Irish eyes were smiling under bright blue skies in Manhattan yesterday at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. After a Guinness and corned beef lunch, I made my way toward Fifth Avenue where hundreds marched to the sounds of bagpipes and high school marching bands. Onlookers donned their best green attire for the event which stretched from 44th Street to 86th Street.

Here is a pictorial sampling of the afternoon's festivities:

It's Christmastime in the City

Had lunch with a Communications Manager on Friday, ready to take on his very first podcast. The more internal comms folks I encounter, the more it's apparent that social media is really taking off inside of companies. People are realizing that the technology is becoming easier, not to mention the fact that podcasting is a great way to breathe life into corporate communication. Throw in some video, and you're really bound to get your employees' attention.

After my lunch meeting, my attention was focused on Christmas - probably due to the fact that I was a stone's throw away from Rockefeller Center. In spite of the giant flock of tourists, I decided to visit the famous spruce and get another dose of the holiday spirit.

As a native New Yorker (there aren't too many of us!), I felt the right to push my way in toward the skating rink where I took advantage of a scenic photo opportunity. Little did I know I'd be wearing skates the very next evening! (Note: I didn't fall once; not bad for a first-time ice skater...though there's definitely not an Olympic medal in my future).

Down the street from Rockefeller Center, sidewalk Santas were ringing their bells, while people lined up to catch a peek at this year's Saks Fifth Avenue holiday window display - dominated by weird-looking snowmen. Frankly, I'm partial to the decorated houses in my neighborhood. Just walk a few steps from my building, and I'm greeted by festive lights and Christmas music.

To celebrate the holidays, a group of us headed to a New York institution on Friday night - Peter Luger Steakhouse. Founded in 1887, the restaurant offers a taste of old-world charm - with waiters in red bow-ties serving lots of good, simple, plain old meat. I'm talking a lot of cow. I could hear them moo with every piece I chewed. 

And what would a famous New York restaurant be without a celebrity sighting? I raised my glass of Cabernet to comedian Robert Klein as he walked by - another native New Yorker in-the-know when it comes to a classic city dining experience.

And with that, dear blog readers, I raise my glass to you and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you next year!